Digvijay backs Sibal over website regulations

New Delhi: Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Tuesday backed Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal`s drive against offensive and defamatory content on internet sites, saying that the service providers should observe self regulation.
Singh, who has been himself a victim of such content,
said that he was not in favour of a ban but for the service
providers to ensure that they do not allow their platform to
be used for maligning the image of anyone.

He said that freedom of expression does not mean allowing
vilest abuses against anyone. 64-year-old Singh has courted
controversy at regular intervals with remarks on Hindutva
terror, Batla House encounter, Maoism and Home Minister P
Chidambaram.

Singh, who has filed a complaint against several persons
and websites including Facebook and Twitter, said the I T Act
of Delhi has all the provisions that could land those carrying
such defamatory content in trouble.

His lawyer Rohit Kochar said that posting such offensive
content was no longer a civil offence but a criminal one which
has provision of imprisonment of upto three years.
Singh has filed a complaint against 22 people who used
websites to allegedly post "highly offensive" content against
him. He has also sought registration of case against eight
websites.

The Economic Offences Wing of Delhi Police`s Crime Branch
has registered the case under Section 66 of IT Act, which
deals with punishment for sending offensive messages through
communication services, on September 29.

Singh has sought police action for causing "severe damage
to his goodwill and reputation besides inflicting acute mental
pain and agony on "him, his family, friends and colleagues".

"The same is also causing grave damage and injury to the
reputation, goodwill and image of the Congress party to which
Singh is the General Secretary," the complaint said.